Alarm!
by Alais Kingsleigh
Summary: Hermione is an auror who kept on getting alarm calls from the jewelry shop and somehow always managed to get a free dinner each time she does. Will she ever realize it was a ruse from the shy wily jewelry shop owner just to see her? Will she be able to develop feelings for the man?


**Alarm!**

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A/N: Takeshi Kaneshiro's character's name was taken from God, Please Give Me More Time (神様, もう少しだけ) but I haven't taken anything else from that storyline. I like happy endings on my stories, as much as it had a good storyline, I really don't like tragedies. A short fluffy one-shot.

* * *

It's strange that among the three friends it would be Hermione who would become an auror. Ron went on to do what he'd always dreamed of doing, playing with Chudley Cannons while Harry would be travelling the world with Luna to seek out rare species of magical creatures.

The relationship between her and Ron turned out to be a dud. They were after all, still teenagers when they started and they ended quite amicably, returning to their camaraderie long before Ron was sent all over the world. Ron, of course, gloried in the life of a professional athlete (the sport, the money and the attention of fan girls) and never failed to tell stories to his family and friends back home of his adventures. Hermione was genuinely happy for him (and pitied whoever he'll end up with).

As with policemen, aurors have their "beats" certain areas they cover for patrol or respond to. Her task was pretty simple given the fact that her beat mostly covers a small posh non-magical residential area. The problem was however, it houses some of the most expensive boutiques in Wizarding London. A small spa, a couturier and even a jewelry store.

All three were owned by the Ishikawa family, consisting of three brothers. Asian imports from Japan who've ventured and so far succeeded in establishing themselves in the old world, given how it is still in the process of being rebuilt.

Their success can also be attributed to the fact that they bring new things to the table. The spa offers massages and therapies from the muggle world that their patrons have so far enjoyed. The couturier offers clothes and fashions from different places in the world, easily chosen from their wide ranges of selection from their catalogues, with varied options previously unavailable without travelling to these countries. Lastly, from the jewelry shop, high grade gem stones used for spellcrafting and charms. The said jewelry store also has chastity rings, engagement rings and even fidelity charmed wedding rings that the wizarding families have not enjoyed since medieval ages as it required certain skills.

Hermione did not really have much problems with these brothers, all three lived in a compound in the area, all except for their eldest brother. Her personal thorn in the side is the supposedly serious, Keigo Ishikawa, the genius behind the spellcrafted jewelries and charms.

* * *

It all began after she was transferred to this area. They have recently been reshuffled to different areas. Thus, the former auror assigned to this area introduced her to the only magicals who actually lived here.

That's when the problems started. The newly installed alarms for when she is called in for an emergency keeps on tripping for the jewelry store and of course, it was always at night.

Keigo as he'd insisted she calls him is always apologetic saying he panicked and heard something. Given the fact that the British Wizarding World had just gotten over war, this was a plausible explanation.

The first night, he said he was having dinner and offered to share some of his, Hermione supposes that should have been her first clue but as she'd never really been on a date (except for Cormac and Viktor, and both had been school affairs) nor discussed with anyone what it entails she paid the candlelit dinner no mind. She only thought that Keigo just liked a little mood setting in his dinners.

Hermione might be good at many things; the academe, her job and even what color suits Ginny Weasley's red hair, but she is an idiot when it comes to relationships. If only she'd ask any of her female friends, but they were mostly busy with their lives. The Patels have moved back to India, Ginny was always on a road trip with her band and of course Luna was always in transit. She really had no idea that the man was interest in her, seeing his excuses at face value. After all, she was still the insecure girl from Hogwarts, she couldn't comprehend that a handsome successful man would take interest in her.

The next time it happened, he also offered dinner and invited her to watch a film he was about to see on his newly installed flat screened TV in his office. It went on and on for months, a week would not fail to pass without Keigo sounding the alarm and while this was illegal, Hermione let him be seeing that she really had nowhere to be. It's not as if she had a relationship with anyone and most of her close friends are off living their lives.

* * *

Keigo somehow found out that it was her birthday and gifted her with a beautiful perfectly cut diamond set in an exquisite gold necklace setting. She thought it was an ordinary diamond necklace but he handed her a magnifying glass, inside was a miniature animated replica of Diagon Alley after it was fully restored down to the people walking in and out of the stores. Hermione found it amazing, even if she had seen a lot of charms by now she admired his spellcrafting and handiwork. But she had to turn it down.

To accept gifts from citizens, are of course prohibited for aurors but Keigo insisted, saying that it was a gift from a friend and not from a store owner in her beat. Hermione, realizing the craftsmanship and effort that went into its creation, had to accept his gift. For his birthday (she found out after calling in a favor from her friend, Hannah) she gave him a bag with extendable charms and lightening spell works. He really appreciated the gift and Hermione saw that he always kept this bag on his person.

It became a near routine, Keigo would "accidentally" switch the alarms on at least once or twice a week. They'll eat dinner in companionable silence with Hermione asking the otherwise quiet Keigo about himself. After a few months, Keigo started opening up to Hermione, and the conversations became more frequent and less of a one-way stream.

Pretty soon, Hermione found herself being attracted and later on falling in love with the often shy man who rarely says a word but has a brilliant mind of a genius. The man was just amazing, he was insightful and understood her conversations. He was also good at the violin and at more than one time practiced his pieces for her. He seemed to enjoy her friendship.

* * *

A year passed with these "dinners" made from Hermione calling in after Keigo would "accidentally" switch on the alarm. Soon, Hermione would be reassigned.

Hermione sadly told Keigo that she's being re-assigned and that she hopes he'd be just as nice to her replacement. Keigo didn't say a word and just stared at his plate. She really couldn't find any excuse to see him again, now that she won't be assigned here, they weren't really close friends. They barely say a word to each other and as far as she could tell the guy had never made a move. But looking at his sad defeated face, Hermione felt hope. Maybe he's as sad about not seeing her as she is.

"Keigo, I was wondering…" Hermione asked and the man turned to look at her with a now indecipherable look on his face. "I mean, would you mind if I cook you dinner in my house sometime. I mean you're the one who always invite me here to your office and I can hardly cook for you in mine so…" Hermione blathered (not mentioning the fact that Keigo invites her over by sounding the alarm) only for Keigo to smile brightly at her and placed a hand over hers. "I would love that. I really would love that Hermione." He said as they both smiled at each other, an unsaid understanding between two people who could barely communicate their feelings out loud.


End file.
